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I wish this entire arc had appeared as two double-features, so we can move on.

Or compress the first two episods into one so we could have a better episode and move closer to a possible climax.

This is what I was saying before. It feels like they're artificially stretching the arcs out on purpose, making them longer than they need to be for the story they have to tell, just like most of the S4 arcs.

I wish this entire arc had appeared as two double-features, so we can move on.

Or compress the first two episods into one so we could have a better episode and move closer to a possible climax.

This is what I was saying before. It feels like they're artificially stretching the arcs out on purpose, making them longer than they need to be for the story they have to tell, just like most of the S4 arcs.

That is why I have such huge issues with Seasons Four and Five. They are preparing these big arcs that do not have much in them and then stall for time. This arc would have been so much better if done like Geonosis with various stories and just a repeat of the same thing.

This is what I was saying before. It feels like they're artificially stretching the arcs out on purpose, making them longer than they need to be for the story they have to tell, just like most of the S4 arcs

Unless I'm misreading this, it sounds like you are seeing the stories are stretched out because they need the time to tell the story.

Sometimes it seems TCW stretches out the episodes needlessly and then the part of the story that needs the time is rushed because they only have so much time left. They SHOULD take the story time they need to tell the story as it should be - yes, some build-up, of course, but not to excess.

I'm saying it seems when they have a story that could make a really high-quality set of two episodes, they're more than willing to turn it into three or four mediocre episodes instead. Umbara did not have four episodes worth of plot, not even close.

I'm not going to fully judge this arc until I can watch all 4 alongside each other, as an 88-minute "movie". Only then will I be able to tell if it tells the story succinctly, or if it repeats itself overmuch.

By the way - does anybody think this is hinting at Ahsoka learning about Anakin + Padme? Will she finally figure that out?

Not sure how you're defining "loose arcs"? Geonosis was "loose" in that each episode more or less stood on its own, and yet was linear. Off the top of my head, I don't remember which episodes were the Gunray arc, so won't comment. I liked the Mandalore arc with Satine's introduction. I liked the Hardeen arc, again somewhat standalone and yet linear. The Kadavo arc, liked. Revival is part of an arc that hasn't aired the rest of the episodes yet.

Not sure how you're defining "loose arcs"? Geonosis was "loose" in that each episode more or less stood on its own, and yet was linear. Off the top of my head, I don't remember which episodes were the Gunray arc, so won't comment. I liked the Mandalore arc with Satine's introduction. I liked the Hardeen arc, again somewhat standalone and yet linear. The Kadavo arc, liked. Revival is part of an arc that hasn't aired the rest of the episodes yet.

Yeah, "loose" in that you could easily watch any of the episodes and it would still work as a story. The Gunray arc was "Bombad Jedi", "Cloak of Darkness" and "Lair of Grievous", way back in Season 1.

And yeah, "Revival" is part of Episode 13-15's arc but since it aired straight after Season 4's finale arc and is directly related I kind of consider that a 5-parter.

In other words they're stretching out stories that don't need the extra time.

I agree. Umbara, Mon Cal...so far this arc.

So do you prefer "loose arcs"? Such as the Gunray Trilogy, Geonosis Arc, and Maul/Savage/Ventress Arc (which I consider to be Massacre-Revival)?

IMO these arcs are a perfect example of how to do an arc where each episode is an essential part of the arc but it can live on it's own as a standalone with a resolve. That is how the show works best.
These latest episodes show what is wrong with the series at this time. That is why episodes like Revival work so much better than these two Onderon episodes.

In other words they're stretching out stories that don't need the extra time.

I agree. Umbara, Mon Cal...so far this arc.

Umbara, Onderon and the Hardeen arc are prime examples of how a writer is given too much time to stall.
When a writer has less time, he makes the best of the time he has. That is why arcs like the Gunray arc were so great. Even arcs like Ryloth that Onderon should have felt like also was comprised of several episodes done by different writers but it all fit well together and you can watch each without being forced to watch the others to get a resolve.

There was this one part of the episode I was thinking about just recently: Saw ripped the head off a battle droid and it continued to work afterwards. How come this works when in earlier episodes where the BDs had their heads shot or torn off, they would cease to function; was it just to add humor?

There was this one part of the episode I was thinking about just recently: Saw ripped the head off a battle droid and it continued to work afterwards. How come this works when in earlier episodes where the BDs had their heads shot or torn off, they would cease to function; was it just to add humor?

Yep. I thought in the first episode of the Onderon arc it was even said by Anakin that the only reliable way to quickly dispatch of a droid was to aim for the head. I thought that was kind of weird given how often the Jedi are content to just Force push a droid over and walk away.

On a completely different note, I can't stop the image of the Glorious Strategist (Jade Empire) from popping into my head any time the true king of Onderon speaks.

So yeah, needless to say, there will be no WALL-OF-TEXT reaction from me to this episode either. It felt slightly less like a Disney movie since the romance subplot was less prevalent, but the absence of what was for me the only significant redeeming factor for the previous episode - the Anakin Skywalker/Obi-Wan Kenobi relationship - still managed to make it worse to me overall. Feels like filler.

I still think the problem with this arc is its trying to be character driven, by a kinda weak love triangle. I was willing to give it a shot but it adds insult to injury its a bigger focal point for this arc than the actual rebels are. I'd be more interested in seeing the actual internal politics there than what feels like an episode of "As Told by Ginger" in space with electric grenades.

In other words they're stretching out stories that don't need the extra time.

I agree. Umbara, Mon Cal...so far this arc.

Stretching out stories allows them to have more episodes of a certain thing(Umbara, etc) making a 4 episode arc, about only 4 or 5 days of the war. Umbara is probably the only 4 episode arc I am not complaining about, even though Plan of Dissent wasn't needed, I loved it.

We've discussed this before but this can have them have a whole 22 episode season, only 1-3 months of the war. It extends the show.

I do miss single episodes though, one shots following other Jedi or clone teams would be awesome. Ever since Lucas jumped on board though, we lost that.

I'm happy with longer arcs if it lets the story breathe, let's you have those quiet moments of reflection or to get into a character's mind. But that doesn't seem to be happening. It's as fast-paced as ever.

I like the longer arcs as well. Loved Umbara and the Rako Hardeen arc. This one just isn't quite up to par with those. Atleast not from what has aired so far. And I know TCW can do 'character driven' well from both those arcs.